Mikan's Fairytale
by Tragic Lullaby
Summary: Mikan loves fairytales, and she really wants her own happy ending. However, she meets Natsume Hyuuga and it's like Romeo and Juliet all over again, the fairytale Mikan dreaded the most. Will Natsume and Mikans story really be like Romeo and Juliet? NxM R
1. In the beginning

_**Mikan's Fairytale**_

"_We were both young when I first saw you  
I close my eyes  
And the flashback starts" – Taylor Swift's __Love Story_

Story by Tragic Lullaby

* * *

_In the beginning

* * *

  
_

At the age of five, Mikan Sakura, like every other little girl in the in the kingdom of Alice, loved fairytales. Not the knight-goes-to-battle-with-the-dragons-and-returns-victorious ones, but the knight-returns-victorious-and-marries-young-princess, and just like every other little girl in the kingdom of Alice, Mikan Sakura was her own princess, waiting for a knight in shining armour, and if possible, riding a white horse. If however, no white horse were available, a chestnut horse or a Ferrari would do just fine.

In fact, Mikan Sakura was her family's little princess. She was heir to the Sakura Family Throne, as she called it, or the Sakura Company, as her parents called it. She was proud of this fact, but did not know that every other little girl didn't have a family like hers. Anyway, on with the story. It so happened that Mikan was being taken to see someone, she did not know who, and did not know why. Nor did she know where she was going or why her Aunt, Misaki, was not telling her fairytales, right now! "Auntie Misaki," she pouted, tugging on her aunt's floral patterned, red dress, "I want a fairytale!"

Her aunt grinned wearily, maybe grimaced is a better term. "Hush Mikan, how about I tell you the story of snow white?"

"But you said that one to me yesterday," Mikan's grammar was not good, as she was five. Whoops, Mikan never did like the same story two days in a row. Luckily for Misaki, the car came to a sudden halt. Mikan immediately forgot about her story and looked around. They were in a park. "Auntie Misaki," Misaki swore her dress would tear one day because of all the tugging Mikan had given it, "Why are we in a park?"

Misaki sighed but smiled at her niece, "We are coming here to play, Mikan!" The little girl looked at her quizzically. "We can play princesses and princes and kingdoms here, sweetie," Misaki tried again.

"Oh!" Mikan finally caught on, her eyes lighting up like stars. She quickly slid out the car and twirled, obviously pretending that she was a royal princess in her royal gown. "Auntie Misaki, what kind of Princess story will have? I want my very own princess story!"

_How can little kids have such energy? _Misaki asked herself, "I bet Princess Mikan will have such a lovely story. The most wonderful story." The child wasn't listening though; she was already off in her own world. Sighing to herself, and then giggling and then twirling, and repeating it, Misaki thought it was amusing to watch Mikan go through such a cycle.

"I want to be like Cinderella," the girl turned to Misaki. "I want to be treated bad by my family and then a prince will come and take me away." Misaki grimaced, _the girl actually wants us to treat her badly? That'd be so hard, she is just too adorable! _"Or maybe," the girl started again, "maybe like Snow White! I'd just love to be awakened by a kiss by my one true love!" Misaki seriously felt sorry for the guy this girl might marry, "Sleeping Beauty also gets awakened by a kiss though. Oh, oh, what about Rapunzel? I'll grow my hair long while I'm locked away in a tower, and my prince will find me!" The girl sighed, she was getting bored, "Auntie Misaki, do you know any other fairytales?"

Peace just didn't seem to last when Mikan was around, "Sure I do, sweetie. It is a really sweet story but its sad in some parts, so if you want me to leave out the sad parts, just tell me okay? Misaki knew that Mikan was a sucker for tragedy. The first time her dad had told her a sad story about a dog being hurt, the girl burst into tears immediately and had started praying that the dog was okay.

Mikan scowled, "Don't leave them out. I'll try not to cry, I won't cry, I won't cry! I'm a grown up now!" She lead Misaki over to a bench and forced her to sit down and she clung to her aunt's hand, for reassurance.

"Alright, once upon a time, there was a boy called Romeo, and a girl called Juliet," Misaki began to tell the fairytale. "Their families, the Capulets, who were Juliet's family, and the Monatgues, who were Romeo's family, were enemies. The families often fought each other in the streets of Verona. Romeo had just been dumped by his girlfriend, Rosaline." Mikan nodded severely, she knew about grown up terms liked 'dumped', this of course meant that she was 'grown up'. "The Capulets were having a party that night, and Romeo's friends were trying to get over Rosaline so they made him go. Juliet was also at the party. Romeo happened to bump into Juliet, and for them both it was love at first sight." Mikan's eyes twinkled. "Without their families knowing they both got married, but the fighting still went on.

"Romeo got into a fight with Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, because Tybalt had killed Romeo's best friend. So, Romeo killed Tybalt," Misaki could see that the little girl's eyes were starting to brim with tears. "Juliet was sad that her favourite cousin had been killed but she still loved Romeo with all her heart. The bishop got Romeo to leave Verona because his life was in danger and Juliet's family wanted her to get married to a guy called Paris because they didn't know she was already married." Mikan's small fingers started to squeeze Misaki's tightly. "In a plan not to get married to Paris, Juliet and the Bishop worked up a plan to make Juliet pretend that she was dead by drinking a poison." Mikan gasped.

"Unfortunately, Romeo did not get the letter that the bishop wrote to him about this, and when a friend of his told him that Juliet was dead, he believed that she actually was dead! He rushed to Verona, in hope to see that this was not true, but when he had entered the tomb, he saw Juliet's cold body on a coffin," Misaki said calmly, she had left out the fighting with Paris bit because that'd upset Mikan even more, "He had with him, some poison, and after kissing Juliet's lips he drank it so he could die beside her and be with her forever. It was in that moment, after he died that Juliet woke from her pretend death. She saw Romeo's dead body beside her, and driven by grief, took his dagger and plunged it into her heart and died. The end." She took out some tissues, already knowing that tears were streaming down Mikan's face.

"That's so awful," Mikan wailed, "I don't like that story, because they both die!"

"But they die so they can be together forever," Misaki tried reasoning with the five year old, a challenging feat.

"No, they die because they think the other person is dead! I want to be together forever, alive!" Mikan sobbed into the tissues. "It was a really good story, Auntie, it was really sweet but it is so awful! I don't want my life to be like that. I prefer to be like Cinderella." The crying finally stopped and Mikan brushed her dress down as she stood up. "Please, don't tell that story again, auntie Misaki." And the little girl ran off, her aunt calling after her.

* * *

Mikan reached a Sakura tree, puffed and with red eyes, she had cried some more when she had been running, and her dress was dirty as she tripped over a few times, she patted the tree trunk, "You're just like me, I'm Mikan Sakura and you are a Sakura tree!" She giggled half-heartedly, "We are both Sakuras!" She wrapped her small arms around the tree as far as they would go.

As she peered around the tree something caught her eye. It was a boy. His hair was messy and black, and his back was turned to her so she couldn't see what his face and eyes were like, but being a princess, she could tell he was attractive just by looking at his back. He picked up a pebble from the shore of the small river that ran through the park, and skipped it seven times across the water. "Wow," she said, coming out from behind the tree, her eyes wide. "Can you do that again? My friend Koko can skip a stone on water five times, but seven times is just amazing! Do it again! Please!" She stared up into his face, which was looking back at her, unreadable, "Woah, you have red eyes, that's so cool! What's your name?"

"I don't go around telling my name to strangers," the boy answered, smug, "didn't your mother ever tell you that?"

"Heh," Mikan rubbed her head, embarrassed, "I don't have a mother, she ran off after I was born. She left me with my aunt, uncle and grandfather. I'm Mikan, by the way."

"Hn, Natsume," the boy picked up another rock and skipped it again. Eight times. Mikan jumped up and down, clapping in her joy. Natsume smirked, "Simple people are easily amused it seems."

Mikan frowned, "I'm not simple, I'm a princess! That's what my aunt and uncle and grandfather told me! You are obviously not a prince or a knight because you are too rude."

"You seem like a stupid little girl to me,"

"Well, you are just a stupid little boy, because you're the same age as me, five years old!"

"Actually, I'm six, so that means I'm better than you, and smarter," Natsume countered her verbal blows. "What is such a simple girl doing away from her family? You'll get lost you know, if you aren't lost already."

"You are lost too!" Mikan couldn't keep up with this boy's speaking skills, "You think you're so smart!" Mikan knew what her aunt called these kind of people, what were they again? Oh right, "You jerk!"

Natsume smirked, "Hmmm, you need to wash your mouth out with soap, polka dotted panties girl."

Mikan gasped, "You…you…saw my undies! Now I can't get married!" She burst out into tears; her dreams had been ruined. "Every princess _has _to get married to a prince or knight. I'm a disgrace to the name of princesses, and it's your fault!" She pointed at Natsume, collapsing to her knees.

Natsume groaned and rolled his eyes, _great, now she's crying. _"You should cry less, you know," he said to the girl, "I saw you had red eyes from crying earlier. If you cry so much it means you are a cry baby."

"Princesses are allowed to cry because they have a hard life,"

"Oh please, princesses aren't allowed to cry because they have a hard life, nobody is," Natsume sat down beside the girl, "Besides, who would want to be a princess that badly, you sit around and do nothing while some other guy saves you from everything. Not very exciting."

Mikan pouted, "You would've cried too, if you had heard the story I had just heard from my auntie. Do you know the story about Romeo and Juliet?"

"Duh, who doesn't?"

"I hate sad stories, they always make me cry, and fairytales are supposed to have happy endings where the princess marries the prince or the knight, and they live happily ever after," Mikan buried her head in her knees, getting embarrassed, "I want a happily ever after too."

Natsume sighed, this was why he didn't understand girls, all they wanted was to get married and live happily ever after. This girl was just like very other girl he had met, except she wasn't drooling all over him. He hesitantly patted Mikan's head; look he would a dog. "But if they die together, that means they want to be together forever, doesn't it?" He asked awkwardly, he hated talking about fairytales and would rather be talking about the newest video game that came out.

"You sound just like my aunt,"

* * *

They sat there for a while until a sudden call startled them, "Mikan! Mikan, sweetie, where are you! We have to go home now!"

Mikan gasped, "It's my uncle Tono, he'll be so cross!"

"Is he married to your Aunt?"

"No," Mikan shook her head, "He's her brother. Misaki is only sixteen!"

"People get married at sixteen,"

"Mikan! Mikan, there you ar--," Tono's head appeared around the tree. His eyes narrowed as he took in Natsume, "You, boy, aren't you Hyuuga's only son? Natsume Hyuuga, am I correct?" Mikan blinked, she had heard of the Hyuuga's through hearing her family's conversations. It seemed like the two families did not get on at all. "Did you do anything to Mikan?" Tono asked fiercely.

"No, he didn't, Uncle!" Mikan said, grabbing onto her uncle's arm, "He was comforting me and talking to me, that's all. I didn't even know he was from Hyuuga family and he didn't know I was from Sakura family! Please leave him alone, Uncle!" She turned her huge puppy dog eyes on her uncle, but he wasn't looking at her, just at the silent Natsume.

"Stay away from Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuuga," Tono snapped, "Don't you dare come near my niece again. Come on, Mikan, let's leave him." Mikan's uncle picked the young girl up and started to walk away from the sakura tree and Natsume. Mikan peered over her uncle's shoulder at her family's enemy's son. He was silent, but he stared at her sadly. Mikan wished he could stay, but out of nowhere a girl seemed to appear. Curly, permed green hair, that was the first thing Mikan took in. She grabbed Natsume's arm with delight. Mikan turned her gaze away, disappointed. _He already has someone else, _she whispered to herself, burying her face into her uncle's shoulder.

* * *

"Natsume, Natsume, I found you, I found you!" Natsume's clinger, Sumire Shouda, sang. "We have to plan our future wedding, Natsume! After all, we will be getting married in about eleven years!"

This was why Natsume hated girls and marriages, disgusted, he pulled his arm out of Sumire's grip, "I never said I was going to marry you, Permy." Sumire's bottom lip wobbled and Natsume groaned. He hated it when girls cried, they had too many emotions and were really too sensitive. Sumire knew how to have her way with him, she grinned secretly and clung to Natsume's arm again.

"Were you talking to anyone, Natsume?" Sumire asked, "You seemed to be staring at something when I found you."

'_Stay away from Mikan Sakura,' _Natsume echoed in his head, bitterly, he had thought he had finally found a friend, who was a girl, who didn't drool over him, _but she's my enemy now. _"No, I wasn't talking to anyone," he lied through his teeth. This was a lie he would have to keep this time. A lie to himself, a lie that said he had never ever met Mikan Sakura.

* * *

Right, now I'm trying to decide whether I should right the next story in Natsume/Mikan's points of view. Like in first person.

Anyway, please read and review.

~ Tragic Lullaby


	2. The Young Prince and Princess

_**Mikan's Fairytale**_

"_I'm standing there_

_On a balcony in summer air" – Taylor Swift's Love Story_

Story By Tragic Lullaby

_The Young Prince and the Princess

* * *

  
_

I met him for the second time at the age of twelve. It was a warm, pleasant golden summer; the type you only hear about in fairytales. The air was sweet, like honey on one's tongue. So far, it was the best summer of my life. At school, I was falling in love with a guy who sat next to me, a person called Ruka Nogi. He was my ideal prince charming; sweet, polite, helpful, funny and smart, good looking as well. Fortunately for me, one of my best friends; Ayumu Fujimoto, liked his best friend, Hiro Shun.

But, summer holidays always came around and for the first time in my life, I couldn't wait to go back to school, well not exactly school, but more importantly; Ruka Nogi. When one is in love, does everything seem perfect? It seemed like that to me. My uncle; Tono had just bought me an strawberry milkshake, I had finished my homework, I had no 'company dinners' today and Misaki had given me one of her precious summer dresses that she had worn when she was twelve. She adored her dresses so much.

As well as all that, I was speaking to my best friend ever, Hotaru Imai, across my new mobile phone. "Ruka is so cute," I was crooning, "He cares _so much_ for animals, and he always greets me back when I greet him in the morning, and he is _so smart_, I wonder if I could get him to tutor me for the upcoming tests. Maybe I could ask him if he wants to go out with me then, and then me, Ruka and Hiro and Ayumu can go on double dates, and triple dates if you get a guy, Hotaru. And then after six years of dating, he'll propose to me! And I'll say yes and then we'll move to the beach and live in a blue and white house with our dog and three children." I prattled on.

"_I have no intention of involving myself with your stupid double dates, idiot," _Hotaru was as cold as always, _"If this Animal lover Nogi is so smart, he would've found out that you like him already."_

"Is it that obvious?" I asked, worried. I didn't want to seem desperate, but cool, chilled.

"_It is obvious to anyone with an intelligence quota of fifty,"_ Hotaru confirmed for me.

I hated it when she used such big words. "That's no fair," I pouted, even though I knew very well that she wouldn't be able to see it unless she was secretly hiding in the bushes. Could she be? "You aren't hiding behind any bushes around my house are you Hotaru?"

"_Who would do anything so idiotic? Your conversations aren't that interesting," _

"Ouch, you are so mean Hotaru!" I wailed; I hated it how my best friend could turn any lovely day a little bit duller. "You know, if you wanted a guy I bet you could get him," I said, returning to our previous conversation. "You are so pretty!"

"_Of course I'd get him, I get everything I want," _I knew this all too well; my best friend would use force to get what she wanted. _"But guys are stupid, they'd tie me down when I want to be the richest woman on earth, and I'd have to share my money with them! You are Miss Romantic, not me, and thank god for that. Now would you leave me alone? You are wasting credit and my time." _With that, she promptly hang up, leaving my goodbye still on my lips.

"Jeez, Hotaru!" I shouted into the stone dead silent phone. I slammed it closed and returned, angrily, to my strawberry milkshake. _Strawberries, _I loved them, _strawberries! _"Hey, Misaki," I called for my spunky aunt from the balcony, "Can we go strawberry picking? I'm _so bored." _Misaki chuckled; she was my favourite relative; only she was the one closest to my age.

"Fine, just let me get ready, and finish your milkshake," I heard her voice echo from inside, "How's Hotaru hanging in these holidays?"

"Cold as always," I called back, slurping up the remainder of my milkshake, I stood up from my position on the balcony, dusting off my dress. There was a rustle. I stared hard at the bushes, Hotaru had said she wasn't in them but could she really be? It could just be a rabbit, I giggled, "Ruka loves rabbits, I should get him some sort of rabbit accessories or something." I spotted some black hair poking out from the leaves. Could it really be…Hotaru? "Hotaru!" I shouted, jumping off the balcony and charging towards the bushes. I was mad, she couldn't just lie to me about something like this! "Hotaru, you idiot, you prankster!"

Oops, a rock, but it was too late, I stumbled, only a few feet away from the black hair. I tripped though the snares of the leaves and landed on something soft but sort of firm. It must be Hotaru, the stupid idiot, "Hotaru, why the hell did you lie to me about not being here!" I tried to get the leaves and hair out of my eyes. "Jeez, silent as always. You are so stub--,"

"Oi," not Hotaru's voice, but it seemed to be a sort of masculine voice. "Who the hell do you think you are? First you attack me and then you start calling me 'Hotaru' and 'idiot'. Aren't you the idiot, strawberry panties?" I managed to push up the hair from out of my eyes and I was met with crimson orbs, staring right at my face, and they were only about three centimetres away from my face.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!" Screaming, I pulled back fast, hitting my head on a tree behind me. I clutched my head, "Ow, ow, ow, ow." He just sat there and watched me, slightly amused. I glared at him, "What the hell are you doing in my backyard? Only Hotaru and Ayumu are allowed in here! How did you get in? Who are you calling strawberry panties anyway, unless…" I paled, "You saw my panties! You pervert! Pervert! Molester! I won't be able to get married now! I hate you, you pervert! Are you a stalker? I should keep a lower profile!"

The pervert rolled his eyes and flicked my forehead, causing me to curse in pain, "Do all girls have the same reaction whenever someone sees their underwear?" I needed to call the police on this guy! He must be a repetitive criminal, a serial pervert or molester! "You are pretty stupid. As to how I got into here, that's for me to know. And anyway, I don't see any sign saying that's its your land." He grinned, disgustingly smug. "I'm not a pervert, you were the one who showed your panties to me. If you don't want people to see them, you shouldn't wear dresses or skirts."

I scowled, at a second look, this guy was my age or close to it, "I hate guys like you, so stuck up. What are you doing in my garden? Running away from the police? I bet you are. I should call up Ruka to come and save me from such a perverted kid. I hope he beats you up to defend my honour."

It was his turn to scowl, "You know Ruka Nogi? I don't see how Ruka can know such a stupid, bad-taste-in-panties girl, strawberry panties. Would you get off me? You are heavy, like a whale in human skin." I rolled off of him, staring at him, unwavering. _He knows Ruka?_

"I bet you and Ruka are enemies because you are polar opposites," I said, "He is so nice, polite and friendly to everyone, including animals, a true prince charming. You, on the other hand, are rude, unfriendly, cold and are a stuck up jerk." I stamped my foot, just to get my point across; you know.

"What are you then? A snobby little girl who likes to pretend she is a princess," he snapped, "Ruka and I are childhood and family friends for you information. Sorry princess but Ruka is better off having a girl like Imai than a stupid moron like you, strawberry panties." He stood up, brushing off any dirt and grime. He was dressed in pretty ordinary boy clothes.

"How do you know Hotaru?" I gasped, taken aback. He _was a stalker. _"You are a stalker, you know everything about my friends."

"I know nothing about you, and everyone knows Imai families and Nogi families," the jerk replied, "If you are hoping on getting rich by marrying Ruka in the future then you are going to be disappointed. Ruka is only the nephew of his Uncle's business, he was only heir until his cousin came along." He turned away, "Now, if you would shut up and get your nose out of Ruka's life."

"How dare you?" I screeched, "I don't even know your name and you don't know mine. That is so rude, to just go up to strangers and tell them to get their noses out of other peoples business. You act so high and mighty!" The jerk reached the tree and turned around to stare at me coldly.

"I could say the same thing about you, princess strawberries panties," he murmured. "You don't know who I am and I have no idea who you are. I was sleeping quietly until you attacked me."

"I didn't 'attack' you!"

"Mikan? Mikan?" Misaki was calling my name, of course she'd be ready be now. I stood their for a while, captivated as the jerk's face broke the stoic position it was usually was in. It crumpled into surprise and suspicion. "Mikan where are you?" I turned to leave, but a hand held me back.

"Your name…" he muttered in a surprised tone. "Your name its…" Strangely enough he couldn't finish the sentence.

"Mikan Sakura," I gave him a quizzical look, which on my face looked totally screwed up. "What the hell is it to you?" Of course he must've heard of the Sakura Family, but practically nobody knew me by my first name, so nobody knew that Mikan was heir to the Sakura company. He needed to do some explaining, fast. I faced him, trying to tug my arm out of his grip, "Let go of me!" His expression had darkened.

"Polka dots," the words that he uttered were confusing, what had polka dots got to do with anything? Was it a new swear word out on the streets? Did him mean to use it to curse? When he met my eyes, they were unreadable as ever but with a sprinkle of sorrow and recognition.

"Who are you?" I whispered, almost mute. Distant memories of my childhood began to resurface, "Do I know you?"

He hesitated and during that short silence I heard a strange voice, over the other side of the fence, "Master Hyuuga? Master Natsume Hyuuga, if you are here please show yourself. You have a meeting to attend."

It was from his reaction that I knew it was him they were talking about. "_Hyuuga?" _I knew the name of my enemy, my company's arch enemy and rival. My family, fighting against there like it had always been. All those fights in the street, Sakura against Hyuuga, family against family. Fear and hate coursed through me. _'Stay away from Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuuga.' _"You!" I began to struggle, "Let go of me! He's over here!" I began to shout louder.

In an instant he had me pinned against a tree, a hand over my mouth. His eyes were cold with anger, "Shut up, Sakura."

I bit his hand, "He's over--," He pressed his lips hard against mine and my eyes flew open with shock. What the? What was he doing?! He moved his lips against mine. Oh no, no, no, it wasn't supposed to be like this. This wasn't how a princess is supposed to have her first kiss! Pause and rewind please! Replace this jerk with Ruka Nogi! But it wasn't happening and it felt very real.

The strangers looking for him had gone by the time he broke away, and smirked at my silence, "Maybe I'll see you around again, princess. Stop going after Ruka, he's already engaged." With that, he let me go, and my support was gone, I dropped to the ground like jelly. It was officially the worst day of my life;

My first had been stolen by a jerk.

Hotaru had better be ready with tissues, chocolate and Ruka Nogi.

* * *

I know it's a short chappie, I want to get on to the time when they are older.  that's going to be fun.

Please read and review,

Tragic Lullaby.

Next Time:

_This party had just gone from bad to worse. Why oh why was the jerk here? Standing next to me, grinning like a Cheshire cat and saying hello? Well, it wasn't really a hello it was more like a, "Look who it is, Princess Polka dots."_

_Oooh, I hated that nickname._

_But I guess that kind of isn't a good enough reason why I poured fruit punch all over his good suit; his nice, new, crisp country road suit._

_I should get a medal._


	3. The problem with fruit punches

_**Mikan's Fairytale**_

"_See the lights  
__See the party, the ball gowns__  
I see you make your way through the crowd  
And say hello, little did I know" – Taylor Swift's Love Story_

Story by Tragic Lullaby, who does not own Gakuen Alice

_The problem with fruit punches and Country Road suits.

* * *

  
_

Natsume Hyuuga had two out of three things that made the perfect man; the first being money, he had billions of it, all because he was the heir to one of the most famous companies in Alice. The second quality was his looks, he had to practically walk through river's of drool whenever he walked down the street and whenever the horrid—ahem I mean whenever Valentines day came around, his locker was stacked so full of chocolates that it broke and chocolate flooded onto the floor. All in all he was a wealthy hottie, simply put.

However, everyone has their faults, even Natsume. See, Natsume only had two of the three qualities that made the perfect man. The last quality, and probably the most important, was personality. If you were going to marry a man who you were going to live with for the rest of your life you'd want him to have a good personality wouldn't you? Or, failing that, a bearable one at least. For Natsume, this was his biggest fault; given he had one of the worst personalities in Alice.

You'd think that might stop girls from liking him so much, wouldn't you?

At least some, at least!

Come on, even like, a fifth?

Not one bit, if anything, they liked him even more!

Natsume was going to an interview, with the manager of a fashion magazine for teenagers. He was wealthy, he was hot, he was famous; he had everything he wanted, right? So why did it piss him off that when he walked down the main street, which was rapidly getting covered with drool, that whenever he saw one of his posters he would see the poster of the equally beautiful, equally famous, equally wealthy Mikan Sakura? Because her company was the one thing he wanted the most. He stopped to stare at one of her posters. _'I'll see you at the Spring Ball!'_ That's what it read.

"Koko," he snapped his fingers, "When is the Spring Ball?" He questioned the dirty blonde man. Natsume pointed at the poster.

"On September the twenty fifth, Natsume," he frowned, "However it is invite only and you haven't gotten an invite."

Koko failed to remember; he was Natsume Hyuuga, he could get anything he wanted. He would get an invite, and he'd get it today. "Who's hosting the party?" Natsume asked.

"By a girl called Anna, one of Sakura's big supporters I hear. She has pink hair," Koko grinned, he knew everyone and it was really useful to Natsume Hyuuga.

"Looks like we'll be paying 'Anna' a visit then won't we?" Natsume smirked, giving Mikan Sakura's face one last glance before turning away. "How far away is the car, I'm going to drown in a crowd of people if we don't get there soon."

Koko knew he wasn't going to go there to visit the girl really; his motive was to get the tickets, "Is this another one of your challenges towards Mikan Sakura, Natsume?" Natsume Hyuuga had been indirectly implying challenges towards his arch nemesis, Mikan. "Sumire is going to be angry if you miss a date with her again, and she will be waiting for you beside the coffee shop in an hour."

"No," Natsume smirked, "It's been a while since I last saw her, it's about time to say hello again. You have to keep your enemies closer than your friends. Shouda will just have to deal with it, like she always." He knew that Sumire had only returned to Japan only a week ago.

Little did Natsume know that you could only push a girl so far.

* * *

_Mikan_

Dress Shopping. It was a favourite pastime of mine. After spending about an hour or two, blubbering to Hotaru, begging for he to come dress shopping with me because I didn't have any good dresses to wear to Anna's Birthday Party. She called it the Spring Ball, just to attract attention away from her. "How about this yellow dress, Hotaru?" I had found a knee high number; it was simple, spaghetti strapped and graceful. She was too busy picking between a black and purple dress to notice me. "I think the purple dress brings out your eyes more, Hotaru," I suggested, wondering if I was ever going to get her wonderful dress advice. If you are wondering why I chose Hotaru and not Anna to shop with, it was because of this;

Hotaru's fashion sense was never wrong.

And because Anna thought just wearing pink solved everything.

Hotaru looked up at me from her dresses, finally! Her eyes narrowed as she saw the yellow dress, at her eyes flickered from my face to it and back again. "No," she said firmly, "I thought I told you to buy a red dress, red does not mean yellow, idiot."

"But…"

"No buts, put that back and find a red dress," Hotaru turned back to her two dresses. She still hadn't decided which one she wanted to wear. It was obvious that she didn't trust my fashion sense.

"Mikan! Hotaru!" I heard a squeal from the entrance of the shop. Anna. "I didn't know you guys were here! You should've called me and then we all could've come together! Nonoko is here with me, we could've gone a dress shopping excursion all together." Great, Anna, now the whole shopping centre is going to know we are here. See, we were all famous; Hotaru, Anna, Nonoko and I, because we all came from wealthy companies so we were the richer equivalent of models. Hotaru and I were already undercover; sunnies, baggy pants, hats, baggy shirts and everything. But Anna; oh lord just what was she…

"Anna, what on earth are you wearing?" I could've shouted. Anna was standing in front of us; pink high heels, denim skirt, the latest girl's pink top, her newest pink bag. No Sunnies and No Hats. "Are you crazy, girl? Now when people see you there will be reporters around every corner!" Hotaru nodded her agreement.

Anna pouted, "That isn't any fun Mikan, what's the point of _going out _shopping if we can't be like other girls and dress up?" I had to admit, she did look lovely.

"Because other girls aren't multi-millionaires, Anna!" I said firmly but rather quietly at the same time. The shopkeepers were looking at us weirdly. Anna's gaze drifted from me to the rows of dresses back to my empty hands and she raised an eyebrow.

"Are you still have trouble choosing a dress?" Here we go.

"Yes," I mumbled, dropping the multi-millionaires-Anna-should-get-a-disguise subject. I needed to find a red dress, red dress. Not yellow, blue, green, brown, black, purple, turquoise, aqua or…

"You should get a pink dress, Mikan!" Anna shoved her two cents worth of fashion sense into the problem.

"I look horrible in pink, Anna!" I cried, "Remember last time you made me wear a pink dress, oh my god, I swear I looked in the mirror and saw a pig staring back out at me."

"Your delusional Mikan, I think the pink dress looked stunning on you!"

"No it was not. Hotaru, tell Anna that I look ugly in pink!"

"Anna, Mikan looks ugly in everything," Hotaru said, unhelpfully. I pouted, no fair. Hotaru was always like this; unless she got paid she never did anything to help. She was in for the money that one; but she was a good friend in a crisis.

"Not pink, Anna," I said, "I want to get a red dress that Kai would like." Kai Makita was my boyfriend, my err…on-and-off boyfriend. We would get into a fight one night and Kai would go off to flirt with girls, and then the next night we would be hooking up again like there was no tomorrow. Since we were only sixteen, I didn't let it go beyond passionate kissing, just to get that out there.

Hotaru rolled her eyes, Nonoko looked disapproving and Anna was furious, "I can't believe you are still with that jerk, Mikan! You deserve better than him! I saw him hanging around with Miyako last night, and let me tell you, they weren't holding anything back." I shrugged, pretending that it didn't hurt me, because it did, it really did cut. Because even if I didn't really like the guy, it still meant that some stuck up prick took other girls over me and then tried to hook back up with me. It was disgusting. "Mikan," Anna said in a softer voice, "You should really dump him and go after some other guy. Even liking Ruka was better than going out with Kai."

If you are wondering what happened to that relationship; I'll dish it out to you. After I learnt that Ruka was already engaged, I went to go and cry to Hotaru about it. Hotaru talked to her mother about it; and her mother went all, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, my dear." I had no idea why she was apologising, but apparently Ruka was engaged to Hotaru. I couldn't blame Hotaru for not telling me because she didn't know herself until that moment, and so it turned around from me crying to Hotaru, to Hotaru getting all shocked and me comforting her. I guess it must be a shock, suddenly hearing that you are engaged to your best friend's crush at the age of twelve! All I know is that a lot of chocolate was consumed that night.

I bit my lip, it always came to this, I always planned dumping him but whenever it seemed to be the right moment he would come back grovelling to me. And I would, stupidly, forgive him. I knew Anna had invited the git to the party as well because; even if he was a snivelling jerk he was my boyfriend, my on-and-off boyfriend. Anna seemed to have remembered the fact as well, "I know! You can dump him at my party! That way he'll be so humiliated he won't be able to come back to you! We'll make sure we get our revenge, Mikan!"

As much as I loved my friends, I wasn't sure it was going to work.

"So erm…Hotaru," I said, randomly picking out a crimson dress from the row of dresses, "Would crimson look good?" I was switching the awkward subject into something my useful, as soon as Hotaru looked at the dress; she' would know I need help with choosing one. Anna, Nonoko and Hotaru all stared at the dress, their eyes actually widening.

"Wow, Mikan, who knew you'd actually have a good fashion sense!" Nonoko exclaimed, "That crimson dress would look wonderful on you! Try it on, try it on!" Hotaru nodded and Anna was practically bouncing up and down in her excitement.

I blinked, obviously surprised by their reaction and actually looked at the dress; it was gorgeous, breathtakingly gorgeous, stunningly gorgeous, amazingly gorgeous, and beautifully…well, you get it. I beamed and shuffled over to the change room, taking off all my baggy clothes at high speed and stepping into the crimson satin material. Hmm, just a little tight but otherwise it fit beautifully. I'm going to break up with Kai, and get another guy to fall head over heels for me and…yeah I tended to let my imagination run wild whenever I was in some great cloth. Not like that was ever going to happen. "I'm done!"

I took a deep breath and stepped out, Anna, Hotaru and Nonoko were already crowded around our change room. I had to suppress a giggle, Anna looked so out of place between Nonoko and Hotaru's bagginess. Anna, oblivious to it all, gasped, "Oh my god, Mikan looks good in something other than pink! You are gorgeous, girlie!"

"She doesn't look ugly for once," Hotaru added, unhelpfully. That was actually a huge compliment, coming from someone like Hotaru.

"Kai will cry, if she breaks up with him looking like a goddess," Nonoko smiled. These girls were all so great and this party was going to be the best birthday party ever!

* * *

Anna wanted us to meet someone, and she warned us to be especially kind to this person because not only did she have the same status as us, but she had just gotten back from a year in America. So the four of us were headed over to a café just outside the shopping centre. A curly perm haired girl was sitting, her face twisted in a look of bitter amusement and sadness. She looked up and smiled as we approached, "Anna, it's been such a long time!" They hugged each other, and Hotaru, Nonoko and I all shared a look. We hadn't known about this friendship.

"Mikan, Hotaru, Nonoko, this is Sumire Shouda," ah, I knew this girl, her company was a big supporter of Hyuuga's. "Sumire, this is Hotaru Imai, Nonoko Ogasawara," the girls smiled at both of them, despite their companies positioning, and Anna hesitated before saying my name, "and Mikan Sakura." Sumire's smile faltered before she shook my hand, scanning me up and down whilst doing so.

"Nice to meet you, Princess," the bitter smile was back, and seriously I have lost count of how many times I've been called 'princess'.

"Same to you, Permilicious," I replied, curtly. A real smile flashed on her face.

"That's the first I've ever heard that one,"

"I'll bet, however that is like the millionth time I've heard 'princess'," we sat back down at the café table and poured over menus for a while before I settled with a strawberry milkshake and the others with mudcake and tea. Sumire giggled at my choice.

"You remind me of my boyfriend," she said, "I wanted to bring him here to meet you guys, but he didn't turn up again. He never turns up," she said, "Like the time I wanted him to pick me up at the airport, one of his best friends came and picked me up instead!" Anna gave a grunt of disapproval, like she did whenever I mentioned Kai. "But after seeing your friends, Anna, I'm not sure it wouldn't have been at all peaceful."

"What makes you say that?" Anna questioned.

Sumire grinned at me apologetically, "My…I guess you couldn't really call him my boyfriend, I'm not sure, but he is Natsume Hyuuga."

My teeth clamped together in anger, "Hyuuga you say?" I balled my hands into fists. I hadn't seen the annoying person for about four years. I hadn't had any really contact with him either; I refused to watch the news whenever he was on it, but my uncle would give me a run down of what the Hyuuga company was doing. Natsume indirectly gave me challenges, and I was always replying to them. How stupid was I? I was giving him what he wanted.

Sumire laughed, "Yeah, he is so into the Hyuuga Business these days that he has no time for his friends. Luckily, the fights have died down." I nodded grimly, the fights between Hyuuga and Sakura supporters and family members were often bloody and there were often arrests, it was all over the news and everything, or used to be until Hyuuga handled that. "I don't think Natsume really likes to have me around, if he liked me more, maybe he would relax," Sumire sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me you were in town, earlier?" Anna asked softly, "You missed out on the party invitations, sweetie." But Sumire shook her head.

"I don't feel like going to a party right now, Anna," Sumire replied, "I'm already thinking of my next holiday, how about Paris?" We all laughed, fakely.

"Girlie, you are like Mikan over here and her on and off boyfriend, Kai. You guys need to break up with the jerks you have and go out and get a better guy!"

"I don't think Natsume was really ever my boyfriend to begin with, Anna."

* * *

It was the night of the Anna's Birthday Party, a.k.a the Spring Ball. So far, it wasn't the best night ever, as some stupid people were complaining about the lack of alcohol. But everyone looked absolutely stunning in their dresses, as I passed Hyuuga and Sakura supporters alike, being friendly to each other instead of cat fighting. Anna made the best fruit punch in the world. Anna was scouring the crowd for Kai for me as she stuck by my side, as Hotaru was off eating somewhere. "Oh my god, the disco man has _finally _turned up! Where was he, is there a traffic jam of something?" she was rabbiting on in my ear. "That girl's heels don't go with her dress," she said, pointing out the fashion disaster that was someone's pink dress with lime green heels. "I like her dress though," Anna mused, "maybe if she wore it with black high heels."

"She should've worn black," I offered unhelpfully, "Because her pink dress clashes with her red hair, she should've worn entirely black, head to toe." I heard Anna sighed as she considered what I said. I rolled my eyes, and as I trailed my eyes around the crowd they locked on the familiar, shaggy brown hair, tall stature and striking blue eyes. Kai Makita. Anna must've felt me tense beside her.

"There he is, the bastard, the unworthy worm," Anna snapped. Kai was standing in the middle of a group of admiring girls, flirting as per usual. "I'm going to drag him over here and kill him, because I'm feeling murderous towards him and Hyuuga after how he treats Sumire!" It was at this moment that Kai decided to look up in our direction, and after a few moments of stunned silence, a smile grew upon his face like bacterial fungi on a wet log.

Great, just great, top ten great moments of my life.

He pushed his way out of his little fan club and came strolling up to us like he was the luckiest, most important man in the world. "Who's this?" he asked me in a husky voice.

"You should recognise your own girlfriend, Kai," I snapped, "No, ex-girlfriend, I am breaking up with you! You good for nothing jerk! Why? Because one, you flirt with other girls, cheat on me, kiss them and then two, you intend to kiss me after you've kissed them? We are over!"

Kai blinked, "Is this a joke, Mikan? Very funny." He bent down to kiss me, and when I resisted he held onto me even firmer, his face drawing closer and closer.

Anger boiled up inside me, couldn't he just take me seriously for once? I drew back a hand and slapped him across the face.

Boy did it feel good. I should've done that long ago.

"What don't you understand about; I've broken up with you? Ex-boyfriend?" As I turned and walked away, all I could here was silence and all I could see was the shock on people's faces and the tears of joy on Anna's. And then the strangest thing happened; they started to applaud. Applaud a girl who just broke up with her on-and-off boyfriend.

Well, I was Mikan Sakura, heir to the Sakura Company.

I smiled and decided to enjoy the rest of the evening, even flirt with other guys for once. I got another glass of fruit punch. After an hour of dancing, giggling and eating, a murmur passed through and suddenly there was a tap on my shoulder. I scowled; expecting it to be Kai wanting to hook up with me again. I turned around and oh…this party had just gone from bad to worse. Why oh why was the jerk here? Standing next to me, grinning like a Cheshire cat and saying hello? Well, it wasn't really a hello it was more like a, "Look who it is, Princess Polka dots."

Oooh, I hated that nickname.

But I guess that kind of isn't a good enough reason why I poured fruit punch all over his good suit; his nice, new, crisp country road suit.

I should get a medal.

He frowned, "That isn't the way to greet a guest, Sakura, or don't they teach you manners over in the Sakura Company? This suit was new, I picked it up especially for today, are you going to pay for it? Use Uncle's money?"

I ground my teeth together, "What do you want, Hyuuga?"

He smirked and I knew I was in for it, "A dance." Oh lord; I didn't know how to dance without stepping one people's few times. Although that might be good this time; causing Hyuuga pain. "What's wrong, Princess? Are you mute all of a sudden, or," his mouth suddenly got a lot closer got my ear, "Can't you dance?"

As much as I'd liked to deny it, I blushed, only a little bit. "I can dance!" I snapped, shoving my empty fruit punch glass over at Anna and grabbed Natsume's arm and dragged him over to the dance floor. He put his hand on my waist and the other in my hand. I glared up into his face, "I'm going to sue you for sexual harassment one day, Hyuuga."

"Who would ever harass you?" he asked, mischief dancing in his eyes. It should be illegal that someone could still be so damn sexy even after having excellent fruit punch poured all over them. I focused on his feet instead, being careful to trod on them. "What the hell are you doing, Sakura?" He asked, moving his feet away just before I slammed my heel down on them.

"Aww," I heard some girl from the crowd say, "If they weren't enemies they'd be perfect for each other." We must look really weird from there point of view; all loving with me smiling shyly down at his feet as I danced awkwardly and him smiling gently at my head. It wasn't like that at all; really I was baring my teeth at his feet as I tried to slam my heels down on his toes and he was smirking as he moved them away in time and I always missed.

The song drew to an end and I tried to get away but his grip was firm and strong, "You said one dance, Hyuuga! Let me go!"

"Did I really, Princess?" He snorted, "I highly doubt one dance is going to pay for the damage you've done to my suit."

"Why the hell are you even here, Hyuuga? Why are you dancing with me, your enemy? Why do you keep showing Permilicious up?" I snapped, "She's your girlfriend isn't she?"

"One," Hyuuga had gotten tired of it all and he replied with an equally firm tone, "I'm here because I got an invite and it'd be impolite not to show up. Two, because you wet my suit and because what's so harmful about saying hello after four years of nothing? And three, Permy is not my girlfriend, she is a friend and another friend of mine happens to like her okay, I don't!"

"I thought my uncle told you to stay away from me!"

"Are you going to obey everything your uncle says? Like a good girl? Princess, you might be a rich girl, a famous girl but you are definitely not a good girl."

My eyes darkened with anger, "What about you? Still running away from your family?"

"If anybody is running away from responsibility, it's you, Sakura. Did you try to stop the fights on the streets? I didn't see any effort from you," he growled.

"I did! I did! How much power do you think I have, Natsume?" I was so frustrated that I was on the point of tears, "I'm only a sixteen year old girl, nobody is going to listen to me! I tried, I tried."

Arms folded around me and crushed me into a bear hug. I couldn't believe it, Natsume Hyuuga, my rival, my enemy, was hugging me. My knees started to wobble; I hated it when he did this. Just seeing him again made me remember this first time I ever met him and the second time I met him, and he kissed me, even if it was just to silence me. "You look absolutely stunning tonight, Princess," he muttered into my ear. "So enjoy your night."

With that, he let me go and left the party, left me standing in the middle of the dance floor, all alone.

And I realised, he was just as lonely as me.

* * *

So long x.X anyway, I'm sick and my dad is trying to sing. Ive planned to leave Heaven on Earth (rewrite) and focus on finishing Mikan's Fairytale and Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Read and Review please. I love you guys for how much you reviewed DDG (Drop dead Gorgeous) it hit me for a six.

~ Tragic Lullaby


	4. You have to learn to fight

_**Mikan's Fairytale**_

"_That you were Romeo,  
__you were throwing pebbles  
And my daddy said 'Stay away from Juliet." – Taylor Swift's Love Story_

Story by Tragic Lullaby, does not own Gakuen Alice

_You have to learn to fight

* * *

  
_

Anna seemed like the type of person you'd expect to be dumb. To just justify your thoughts, she did have a few qualities that made her seem that way. Firstly, she told everyone to wear pink, when really pink was the last colour you suited or even wanted to wear. She told you to wear pink even though you were definitely a yellow person. Secondly, she acted like those girls who seemed dumb and dressed up even when she knew she was supposed to dress like an undercover agent. And third, she never read the expiry date for anything when she added it to a recipe.

But despite all this, Anna wasn't stupid.

She knew that Mikan and Natsume were enemies, she knew that it was strange when they had danced together the other night. Enemies weren't supposed to dance together. And she knew everything became so much more messed up when Hyuuga had hugged one of her best friends, Mikan, and left her staring after him.

She knew they were supposed to be together even when the world wanted them to be enemies.

But she also knew life was screwed up sometimes and not a lot of people get their happy endings.

So that's why she acted like she didn't know a thing.

* * *

_Mikan_

Manicures. In my world, manicures were almost as good as shopping. However, they aren't so good when one of your friends are quizzing you about how you thought her party went last night. "So, like how was it? Was it the best party ever, or was it the best party ever?" Anna crowed. Anna's party had been a success, people seemed to have gotten high off the fruit punch and danced until dawn. "Man, do you know how many people asked me to organise their next parties? I got fifty invitations to other parties, I have some for you guys as well."

"I don't want to go to another party just yet," I moaned, not in the mood for party talk. For me, Anna's party had been a disaster, a shock and absolutely infuriating. It was infuriating because a certain jerk had left me thinking about the fights, the families and him.

"Still hung up over Hyuuga?" Nonoko teased me, "That was some dance back there. Everybody thought that you were going to keep dancing with him for five songs. What next? Marriage?" I flicked water at Nonoko from the basin where I was bathing my nails.

I scowled, "Don't be stupid. Firstly, I don't even like the guy, and secondly…"

"Your families are mortal enemies," groaned Anna, "As if we haven't heard that before." She turned to Nonoko, "I've heard Hyuuga has one hell of a hot cousin if we can't have Hyuuga because Mikan's going all 'gaga' over him."

"You guys! Your families are aligned with the Sakura family not the Hyuuga's! Would you please just drop it?" I protested, "Talking about the jerk is making me feel incredibly sick."

"Incredibly love sick you mean," Anna said, "I don't think you know what you and Hyuuga looked like last night. You guys seemed perfect together, like a fairytale prince and princess. I know how much you love fairytales Mikan, so why can't you just grab your own happy ending?"

"_Hello?_ Me with Hyuuga would not be a fairytale ending! Me loving Hyuuga is just like the Princess loving the dragon, it's just wrong! I'm going to find a guy who would sweep me off my feet and save me from everything and anything," I snapped. "You've got this 'Hyuuga and Mikan happy ending thing' all screwed up. We hate each other! Hotaru, tell them they have it all screwed up!"

"Mikan's too ugly for Hyuuga to have any interest in her," Hotaru added unhelpfully.

"Not like that! Now they'll have the impression that I actually do like the stupid jerk, _which I don't!_" I almost sent one of the nail lotions flying.

"Calm down, Mikan," Anna sighed, "I just don't want you to have another Kai moment in your life. You've suffered enough pain."

"So you think pairing me up with my enemy, my family and company's enemy is better?" I snapped. "My family would disown me, if I did anything like that."

"No," Anna said, "But if you did love Hyuuga and he loved you back, I think that he'd protect you from anything; your family, the shame and everything."

"Natsume doesn't love me, Anna,"

Anna opened her mouth to say something but then wisely shut it again. I slumped down into my seat, exhausted from the argument. I hated it when we argued, even though we took no time at all to make up. "I heard Natsume is gaining some more supporters," Hotaru said, keeping the secret about my first kiss hidden away. "Why do you think that is?"

I grimaced, "He's trying to stop the fights, and is succeeding somewhat. It's a painfully hard process though, there are still a lot of fights."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to stop the rest of the fights, all of them," I muttered.

It was an insane idea. It was an impossible one too.

* * *

Natsume Hyuuga was a distracted person. This wasn't the first time Koko had seen him so distracted. There had been a time, four years ago when he was equally distracted and just a little bit red. When Koko had asked what had happened, he had replied with nothing, just as he always did when something obviously had. He had returned last night, looking extremely lost and confused.

"Is something wrong, Natsume?" Koko asked, certain that he was going to get a 'no' in return at which he would have to drop the subject.

Natsume didn't reply for a while, he just stared out the window at the sky. Koko sighed and turned to go until, "Something is wrong with me, with this family, with the fights, with this whole damn world."

Koko blinked, "Pardon me? What do you mean, Natsume?"

"Who said that the Sakura and Hyuuga families had to fight forever?"

Was he hearing right? Natsume Hyuuga questioning the laws on which his family existed upon; the very laws that gave them a purpose? "You mean…you mean you are going to try and stop it?" Koko asked, warily.

Natsume almost chuckled, "That'd be almost close to impossible Koko." His voice seemed to have a sad tint to it, "But one day maybe, after my parents are dead, I can change it. I can stop them from fighting, forever."

"Why would you do that, Natsume?" Koko was confused, never before had he ever heard a Hyuuga think about trying to change everything, "Is it for Mikan Sakura?" Natsume tensed, his eyes snapping shut at the sound of her name. _"Stay away from Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuuga," _for Natsume, Sakura's uncle's words were almost a daily mantra for him. Something to keep him nailed to the ground, and the one thing stopping him from losing his head and going after her.

"No," he lied, "This is for those who have died or are dying." _"Stay away from Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuuga."

* * *

  
_

_Mikan_

It was a hard feat, trying to escape from Anna, Hotaru and Nonoko. Why? Because ever since I mentioned stopping the fight they'd become overly suspicious. I guess they had guessed what I was going to do; find a fight and stop it. I knew Hyuuga sent out specialised men to end a fight, but this was something I had to do, to win them over.

As I walked down the pretty much deserted road and found myself staring at the posters on the wall; _Hyuuga, me, Hyuuga, me, Hyuuga, Hyuuga…Natsume. "But if you did love Hyuuga and he loved you back, I think that he'd protect you from anything; your family, the shame and everything," _Anna's voice from earlier echoed in my head, _"why can't you just grab your own happy ending?" _Because it'd be the wrong happy ending, that's why I couldn't choose him, because we both knew that'd it be the saddest happy ending ever. We'd both be disowned, the family and allied companies would turn against us; hoping to destroy our relationship or us.

A Romeo and Juliet ending; the very ending I swore I would not have. Fate plays cruel tricks sometimes.

I was brought back to my senses by crash of glass on a wall and yelling, followed by the sound of violence. _A fight. _Nervous, I followed the sound, hoping to find its source and make it stop. I'll show Hyuuga just how much I could try. Just close to a wall, just a few metres away from me there were two men brawling. One was a Sakura Supporter and the other a Hyuuga Supporter. I gasped as I recognised the Hyuuga Supporter; Hiro Shun, one of Natsume's best friends, one of Ruka's best friends!

"Stop!" I cried as a fist pummelled Hiro again. "Please!_ Stop!_" I ran closer, lodging myself between them as Hiro drew back a fist. "Hiro, stop this!" I stared up into his bloodied eyes.

Hiro's eyes widened and he froze, his fist just a few inches away from my nose, "Mikan?"

"_Mikan!_" There was another, more familiar voice from further away, coming closer. "_Get out of there!_" Confused, I turned to see who it was but just as I thought I could see, a fist hit me hard from behind. "_Mikan!_"

* * *

Natsume Hyuuga had been going for a drive to a conference on how to deal with local fights. People and posters flittered past and the car stopped at a light. As his bored eyes scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of fights or unrest, they lay rest on a group of three familiar girls. Hotaru, Anna and Nonoko, Mikan's friends, except Mikan was missing, which was unusual, and the three girls seemed close to hysterical. "Wait here," he muttered to the driver before jumping out of the car and striding over to them.

"Hyuuga," Hotaru tried to compose herself when she saw her best friend's enemy. "What do you want?"

"Where's Little Miss Princess?" Natsume knew it was better to get straight to the point.

"If you mean Mikan," Anna sniffed, holding back tears, "She's disappeared! She said something about stopping the fights and we think she meant going out and finding them and stopping them herself! I'm scared she's going to get injured or die, because I know how violent those fights can be." With that she burst into tears, clutching onto Nonoko. "Please, if you find her anywhere, tell us and please, whatever you do, don't let her get hurt!"

Hotaru said nothing, just nodded to him. He saw from the desperation in her eyes that she was the most worried about her best friend. Natsume knew this conference was going to have to wait.

He had a princess to save.

He raced back to the car, "We need to go to the back streets. Some girl is going around trying to stop a few fights. We need to hurry," he informed the driver, trying not to let his concern get too far, _"Stay away from Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuuga." _Natsume wondered if that rule was going to apply even if Mikan Sakura was about a second away from dying.

The driver, confused by his words, took him around the back streets. There was nothing, not a word, not a peep, and Natsume was about to give up and go to his conference when he heard something strange, _"Stop!"_

"Mikan," he whispered, recognising the voice's owner. He slammed the car door shut and ran down the alleyway, trying to follow the voice. His frustration grew and grew when he met another dead end.

"_Please! Stop!"_

"Dammit!" He turned, his heart thudding against his chest. She was still conscious at least, he didn't know when that would end though. _"Stay away from Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuuga."_

"_Hiro! Stop this!" _Found it. As his eyes locked on to the scene, his blood froze. One of his best friends was seconds away from hitting Sakura but had also come to a halt. The Sakura Supporter however, seemed to enraged to notice that it was his leader standing in front of him, trying to stop them from beating each other to pieces of pulp. Instead, he became furious with interruption.

"Mikan!" Natsume shouted, "Get out of there!" It took so much effort to get his legs moving again. He had to get there, he had to get there before something happened to her. He saw Mikan's confused face turning towards him, he saw his best friend's eyes widen with horror and he saw the Sakura Supporter strike on the back of the head, flinging her to the muddy ground. "Mikan!" His heart skipped a beat as the girl went limp, unmoving.

Rage pulsed inside of him as his eyes moved slowly from Mikan Sakura's body to her attacker.

* * *

_There was a roar, an unnatural sound that filled my ears. I looked up from the quickening blackness to see a familiar shape thrust Hiro aside and crashed into the attacker. The victim looked stunned as a sharp fast kick came first to the stomach and a second to the head. "Natsume?" I whispered before the darkness enveloped me._

As I opened my eyes the sunlight seemed to burn at my retina, blinking rapidly, I sat up. I was in a pristine white bed, doors out to the balcony were open and sunlight was streaming in.

In other words I had absolutely no clue where I was.

I was officially kidnapped. I'd have to sneak out. I crept over to the balcony, realising it was probably my best option to get out of here. Peeking over the railing to see if the coast was clear, I spotted someone. Well, actually, I spotted someone's back to be precise. A familiar back standing over by a pond, skipping stones. My heat thudded in my chest; this scene was way too familiar.

Natsume Hyuuga was skipping stones.

Just like he did when we were younger.

I glared down at his back, how dare he kidnap me. I was not an object to be dragged around anywhere. Taking a deep breath, I yelled, "How _dare _you kidnap me, _Natsume Hyuuga!_" His head turned sharply, eyes narrowing; first darting towards the door and then back at me. He walked towards the balcony and proceeded to climb it. I was seething, this guy seemed prone to sexually assaulting me; he peeks at my underwear, he kisses me, he forces me to dance with him, he then forcibly hugs me and now he's kidnapped me.

He was beside me in a minute, muttering into my ear, "It was so much quieter when you were in a coma Princess."

"Coma?"

"Three days," he was pulling me back inside.

"Excuse me?" What the hell did 'three days' mean.

"You've been out of it for three days."

Three days of my life, wasted, sleeping in my enemy's bed and in his clothes apparently as well.

Of course I had noticed I was wearing a boy's red shirt and pants. "You pervert! I hope you didn't dress me as well! Oh my gosh,"

"As if I'd do something like that. I had a maid do that," he snapped. He kept glancing at my head.

"What, is there something wrong with my hair? I wouldn't be surprised, it's been in bed with me for three days."

He shook his head, allowing a small smirk to cross his face, "The bed hair looks sexy, Princess. I'll show you exactly what I'm looking at." He steered me over to a mirror. I had a bandage across my cheek and bandage wrapped around my head. My hand rose, quivering, towards my head and I found it was also covered in bandages. "It was a wonder you can remember anything after he hit you like that." There seemed to be relief in his tone. "There was glass where you fell so you are a bit cut up."

So he had been waiting for three days, worried that I wouldn't remember anything. That was kind of…yeah, extreme for enemies. He sat me back down on the bed. His crimson eyes stared into mine, long and icy hard.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I snapped.

"Do you know how worried your little friends were?" it was like he was trying to force the words through his teeth. "You had told me you tried, Sakura, so you didn't have to go running off from your friends and try and barge your way into a fight." He sounded so angry that I couldn't even move or speak; my eyes were fixated on his. "There is a reason I send specially trained units into such fights. Because they're dangerous; little girl's shouldn't be trying to stop them."

This was the most I had even heard him speak. "You seemed to be fine fighting them," I said, "So why do you send other people in to fight them."

"You don't think I've got enough to do already, Princess?" growled Natsume, "I am running the Hyuuga country in Japan because at the moment my parents are off in Paris having a holiday, I have to attend conferences, dinners as you do, I also have to still go to school and get an education; it seems that I'm also going to have to keep an eye on you now because you have some sort of insane idea that you can stop the fighting. You can't do it the way you are doing it now, Princess. You are lucky that you can even remember anything."

Ouch, that stung, I felt my eyes begin to water, "I'm sorry Natsume." It was the first time I had ever apologised to my enemy. I didn't try to wipe away the tears. It hurt to have him angry with me.

He sighed, the anger drained out of him, leaving him with his usual emotionless face. "Don't cry," he muttered, his arms folding around me again for the second time in two days. "Don't cry, Princess."

"W-Why do you always call me Princess?" I sobbed, "I'm anything but, a-and I have a name you know."

"I know,"

"We are strange enemies," I tried to make a joke through the tears. It was a real failure and I seemed to sob even harder. "I'm ruining your shirt, N-Natsume. I'm sorry. S-Sorry for everything."

"'Stay away from Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuuga', that's what your uncle said," his voice was muffled in my hair.

"Well," I hiccuped, "Mikan Sakura o-orders Natsume Hyuuga to stay with her just for today. Mikan Sakura orders Natsume to pretend we are friends, just for one day." For a moment, his grip tightened around me before he pulled me up. "Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you out for lunch," he grabbed a hoodie and forced it over my head, pulling the hood up so that it covered the bandages on my head. He forced a smile, "If the other people those bandages, they're going to think I kidnapped you from the hospital." He then grabbed his jacket and wallet and keys. He grabbed my hand a pulled me out of the house towards his car and opened the passenger door for me. I wondered if this was the way he usually treated his friends. "Just get in, Princess," he said, exasperated, walking over to the driver's side and hopping in, "It's not like you can run anywhere."

He was right, I was in no condition to run anywhere either.

So I got into the car, wondering just what a day with Natsume as a friend rather than an enemy would be like.

For some reason it felt like the way the fairytale should've been like.

We make strange enemies, I reminded myself. We'd make even stranger friends.

_End

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Right, that's another chapter done. I've had so much on that it isn't even funny. Rowing, assessment, basketball etc.

I hate math tests.

Please read and review.

~ Tragic Lullaby


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